THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15:2007
SPORTS
7B
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Kansas continues second-half trend nearly blows big lead against UMKC
Sade Morris, sophomore guard, passes the ball to a teammate during Wednesday night's game at Allen Fieldhouse. Morris and Taylor McIntosh, senior forward, each had a team-high 13 points in the Jayhawks' 64-58 victory against the UMKC Kangaroo.
Lisa Lipovac/KANSAN
BY ANDREW WIEBE
awiebe@kansan.com
Coach Bonnie Henrickson didn't try to hide her frustration. For the third straight game, Kansas built more than a 15-point lead in the first half. For the third straight game, the Jayhawks struggled to put the game away.
Kansas extended its lead to 25 points with three minutes remaining in the first half, only to allow UMKC go on a 12-3 run to end the period. In the second half, the Kangarooos continued the onslaught by outscoring the Jayhawks 36-26 and falling only six points short of an upset. It's a trend that mystifies Henrickson.
"If you've got an answer, I'm open to suggestions," she said.
It's also a trend Kansas must address before the Big 12 Conference season begins. Teams like Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Baylor won't let Kansas get away with the kind of lackcluster second-half performances that it has put on thus far.
For the most part, Kansas' first-half play has been acceptable. It's after the break when the team needs to try to extend leads instead of just protect them. Its last three opponents — Emporia State, Hartford and UMKC — have all outscored Kansas in the second
half.
"That's where this team has got to grow and go for the jugular, so to speak." Henrickson said.
Sophomore guard Danielle McCray said the team had to stay aggressive down the stretch to maintain double-digit leads. McCray's overagression on defense was one reason for Kansas' timid play in the second half. Because of foul trouble, she played only eight minutes in the closing half, and 15 in the entire game.
was playing not to lose and that the mentality showed in the statistics. Kansas led 16-3 in points off turnovers in the first half. After the break, UMKC outscored Kansas 16-5 in points off turnovers.
Henrickson said that without McCray she team looked like it
Kansas has been fortunate not to lose despite the second-half woes. That could change quickly. The Jayhawks have 11 more non-conference match-ups to find their second-half form. If they don't, victories could become scarce.
Edited by Chris Beattie
women's basketball notebook
NO.200
Wednesday night's victory was the 200th in Bonnie Henrickson's 10-year head coaching career.
"I am proud for the coaches and players that have been a part of it," said Henrickson. "You don't win this many games without great players and a great staff."
Henrickson started as the head coach of Virginia Tech in 1997, then came to Kansas in 2004.
TAKING TURNS
Sunday afternoon, freshman forward Nicolette Smith was lighting up the scoreboard with game highs of 19 points and 10
rebounds.
Taylor Bern
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Wednesday night, freshman center Krysten Boogaard stepped up with 10 points, five rebounds and a block, all in the first half.
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KLEIN STYMIED
Last season, UMKC senior center
Alysa Klein recorded 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks. This time around, Kansas was able to neutralize Klein's offensive output. She finished with five points on 2-9 shooting, 12 rebounds and four blocks. In spite of a number of good looks underneath, Klein never found her scoring touch. Henrickson said the team was prepared to double team Klein if necessary.
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Hawks beat Roos 64-58 Henrickson unsure why team can't hold on to big leads
BY TAYLOR BERN tbern@kansan.com
Lisa Lipovac/KANSAN
Kansas has played with a double-digit lead in all four of its games this season, and in three of those the Jayhawks allowed their opponent make a run at the lead in the second half.
Taylor McIntosh, senior forward, prepares to shoot in the second half of last night's game.
McIntosh led the team in rebounds, both offensively and defensively, and also tied with Sade Morris, sophomore guard, for most points scored.
Wednesday night, Kansas led by as much as 25 points in the first half, only to let UMKC pull within four before grinding out a 64-58 victory.
The inside game was working early for the Jayhawks, with freshman center Krysten Boogaard and senior forward Taylor McIntosh teaming up for 19 first half points.
"You would think that would be enough that we could keep coming and be more aggressive, but we didn't. We just got softer and softer," coach Bonnie Henrickson said.
For McIntosh, who scored just 3 points in regular season debut on Sunday, the key was getting off to a good start.
"It gives me more confidence when I score early, then I kind of get going." McIntosh said.
Boogaard was solid in the first half, adding five rebounds and a block to her 10 points, but she failed to duplicate that in the second half.
Kansas couldn't rely on sophomore Danielle McCray in the second half either, because she was on the bench in foul trouble.
"It wasn't a very good experiment, it blew up on me." Henrickson said about her decision to leave McCray in with two fools early in the game.
The Kangaroos slowly chipped away at the Kansas lead and brought themselves back into the game. But every time the jayhaws needed a bucket, they got one.
Sophomore guard Sade Morris had 10 second-half points, which helped Kansas keep UMKC from taking the lead.
McIntosh also finished with 13 points, and pulled down a team high 12 rebounds to prevent any
second chance opportunities for the Kangaroos.
As far as an answer to why the Jayhawks continue to relinquish big leads, Henrickson had none.
"I can't get a pulse on why we aren't able to hold onto leads and it is driving me a little nuts right now" Henrickson said.
In the first half, Kansas held UMKC to 25 percent shooting from the floor and capitalized on its mistakes with 16 points off turnovers.
However, the Kangaroos matched Kansas with 16 points off turnovers in the second half and looked like the better team for much of the final minutes.
McIntosh thinks her team may need to add a killer mentality,
"We get a team down and then everyone kind of lets up." McIntosh said. "When we have someone down, keep them down."
Edited by Elizabeth Cattell
Saturday, November 17 vs. Iowa State 11:00 AM
Seniors Emily Brown and Caitlin Mahoney play their final match in the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
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